Parents ‘must have the right to smack children’

A SENIOR Lib Dem MP is urging the Prime Minister to remove the “state interference” he says is damaging family discipline.

Lib Dem MP John Hemming said parental authority had been undermined by years of legislation []

John Hemming said parental authority had been undermined by years of legislation including confusion over smacking children.

With riots proving discipline had broken down, he said it was time for the Government to hand back power to parents.

He said: “The inquiry into the riots must look at the way in which the state undermines parental discipline. Smacking children rarely does any long-term harm but allowing children to grow up in an undisciplined manner is damaging for the child and society as a whole. Children have been placed on the child protection register for being smacked. This undermines discipline.”

The inquiry into the riots must look at the way in which the state undermines parental discipline.

Lib Dem MP John Hemming

Mr Hemming, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, said the inquiry should also examine why children in local authority care were “10 times” more likely to have been involved in riots than those cared for by their parents.

He said: “It does raise questions as to whether social workers take a lax approach to the involvement of the children in their care in criminal activities.”